Third Way

Scroll to Info & Navigation

What are America’s security interests in Syria? 

Despite a recent CBS/New York Times poll that noted a clear majority of Americans do not wish to be involved in the Syrian conflict, the U.S. has significant interests in the struggle, primarily because of the regional instability caused by the war. 

  • Syria borders Turkey—a NATO member with which the U.S. has a military alliance and a mutual defense treaty—and Israel. The fighting could easily spill over into those countries, drawing the U.S. into the conflict.
  • Syria also borders Lebanon and Jordan, two countries on already shaky political footing. The war is already causing internal security problems in those nations.

The Syrian conflict is creating a humanitarian crisis both inside and outside of the country.

  • The UN estimated in April that 70,000 people have been killed in two years of fighting. 
  • The UN further estimated that the war has created 1.4 million refugees, with over a million of those in Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon.

The refugees are placing enormous pressure on these nations’ economies and infrastructure, potentially destabilizing them as summer approaches and water, food, and power resources are strained even further.

For more info, read our new policy memo: What is America’s Best Bad Option in Syria?

Afghanistan: Understanding the Administration’s Transition Strategy

The exit from Afghanistan is underway, but the debate continues over whether it’s moving too slowly, too quickly, or just about right. President Obama has charted a responsible path to ending our combat role in Afghanistan while maintaining our ability to eliminate future threats. Why?

In our newest digest, we explain:

  • Why the President’s transition plan is ending the combat mission as quickly as is logistically possible;
  • Why a faster withdrawal timeline could imperil U.S. security interests;
  • Why making our objective a Taliban surrender could extend the U.S. combat mission by decades; and
  • How the current plan and security agreement provides for U.S. security interests going forward.